The railroad museum with something extra

[VerMontanan]

The Midland Continental Railroad Transportation Museum is opening this weekend for its fourth summer season.  It’s located in Wimbledon, North Dakota about 30 miles northeast of Jamestown and 40 miles northwest of Valley City (both Jamesotwn and Valley City are on I-94) via a paved connecting highway.  The depot has been moved from its original location, and is now about a block north of the Canadian Pacific (ex-Soo Line) main line.  The structure, while retaining much of its appearance outside and in has been thoroughly renovated and is air conditioned, with an ADA-compliant restroom inside.  It is a two story structure, but the upper floor is not accessible with a wheel chair.

 

Downstairs at the museum is dedicated to the Midland Continental Railroad, but it’s what’s upstairs that makes this place unique:  The only museum dedicated one of America’s entertainment icons, Peggy Lee, who resided in the depot’s upstairs living quarters for several years while her dad was the Midland agent.

 

The downstairs portion has numerous exhibits explaining the actual and proposed operation of the Midland Continental.  The agent's office has numerous train orders, clearances, ticket stock, waybills and other such items.  A long desk created by the window of the agent's office has (under a laminated coating) an enlarged profile of the entire railroad.  The baggage room has a baggage cart, tools used to maintenance of equipment and track, and other items commonly found in depots of the era.  As an example of the use of technology, the standard (at the time) push-button light switches in the agent's office have been changed to play various audio clips such as the sound of a locomotive and a recording of the Peggy Lee hit "Waitin' for the train to come in."

 

Upstairs features a full display of photos of Peggy Lee with other well-known entertainers, some of her dresses, and every one of the covers of her many record albums.  Visitors can sit in chairs (moved here from the old Wimbledon Roxy Theatre) and access an iPad and scroll down a screen that has EVERY Peggy Lee song ever recorded, then touch the selection desired…and listen!  For those who may have physical limitations and cannot negotiate the stairs to the Peggy Lee section of the depot, a big-screen TV connected to cameras allows visitors downstairs to view the exhibits upstairs.

 

The Midland Continental Depot Transportation Museum officially starts its fourth summer season on May 23, the first day of Memorial Day weekend.  The depot is open daily then through Labor Day from 100 PM to 400 PM (and at other times by appointment).  Admission is free, though donations are welcome.

Check out their website at:   http://www.themidlandcontinentaldepot.com

 

If you’re lucky, your host at the museum will be Mary Beth Orn, whose mother left seed money as part of her legacy to get the quest for the museum off the ground.  She and others pursued and obtained grants and other funding sources to make the museum a reality.  This year, 24 area volunteers will make sure that the museum is available to all who wish to see it.

 

So, make the short side trip to Wimbledon…you’ll not be disappointed.  You can also incorporate it with a scenic trip by Baldhill Dam, Lake Ashtabula, and through the Sheyenne River Valley.  With its thorough displays of historical railroad and entertainment information, you may catch Midland Continental “Fever,” but won’t, as is the case of some museums, depart thinking, “Is That All There Is?”

 

--Mark Meyer